Dispensing apparatus



July 26, 1949. w. w. CEASE. Y Y 2,477,239

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 17, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

WILUAM w. CEASE 3 emgmu, gum em.

July 26, 1949. w. w. cEAsE 2,477,239 7 DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 17, 1945 5 sheets-sheet 2 33 INVENTORi- WtLLlAM \M CEASE July 26, 1949. w. w. CEASE 2,477,239

I DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 17, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1' m INVENTOR.

WILLIAM w .CEAsE INVENTOR.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 WILLIAM W. CEASE W- W. CEASE DISPENSING APPARATUS July 26, 1949.

Filed Sept. 17, 1945 July 26, 1949. w. w. CEASE DISPENSING APP ARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 17, 1945 INVENTOR. WILUAM W. CEASE Patented July 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING APPARATUS William W. Cease, Fredonia, N. Y Application September 1'7, 1945, Serial No. 616,696

' This invention relates to food dispensing appa-e ratus and particularly to means for successively dispensing individual servings of food.v

According to the present invention apparatus. is provided whereby a considerable number offall within the scope of .the present invention.

The apparatus may befilled with anumber of servings of frozen food which-are then thawed and brought to proper temperature forserving within the apparatus, following which individual servings may be selectivelydispensed by a succession of duplicate dispensing operations, quickly and conveniently. In the alternative, the servings of food introduced to the cabinet'may be at room temperature, already partly warmed, or fully warmed.- In any event the heating meansof the present apparatus, which may assume a variety of forms but is preferably electrical, is arranged to achieve and maintain desiredtemperatures within the apparatus under the control of automatic thermostatic means. Conversely, the cab-- inet may be provided with suitable refrigerating apparatus for maintaining the temperature of refrigerated food contained therein or for freezing foods directly therein. The heating may be accomplished indirectly by forced circulationof hot air by means of a blower and the same indirect.

means may be used for refrigerating if desired.

The present apparatus will hold food at proper' temperature and in proper condition for several hours whereupon a single attendant may serve. several hundred meals in an extremely brief period of time. This permits more careful and accurate preparation of meals as to size of po'rtions than if the meals are dished up from steamtables or other receptacles at the time. they are to be served. The portability of the apparatus renders its use ideal in serving meals in hospitals and similar institutions. Serving pre-plated food with the present apparatus is far more sanitary than present steamtable and other conventional practices.

Various modifications may be made in the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail hereinafter. The apparatus set forth is by way of example only and the present invention is not limited in any 4 Claims. ((1312- 9) way excepting as defined inthe appendedclaimsf In the drawings:v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the form of dispensing cabinet shown by way of example; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal 'cross-sectionalview, in a vertical plane, of the cabinet of Fig. 1; p I J Fig. Sis a'transverse cross-sectional view, in a vertical plane, viewed from the serving end'of' the cabinet; j Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the'cabinet with the top wall thereof'and other parts of the mechanism broken away for clarity of illustration; f 1 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. '4 but with the ejecting mechanism, which is partlyl omitted from Fig. 4, shown in detail; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the motor 'drive' mechanism in the base of the cabinet with upper portions of the cabinet broken away; J Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view the line VII-VII of. Fig.2;

'Fig. 8 is a fragmentarycross-sectional view taken on the line VIII-VIIIof Fig. 3;

Fig.9 is a fragmentary elevational view of the mechanism of Fig. 8 viewed from the left as seen inFig.8;' v

Fig. 10 isa fragmentary perspective vicwof the ratchet pawl mechanism of Figs-8 and 9; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of the. mechanism appearing in the lower left-hand corner of Fig. 3 but on a somewhat enlarged scale" and viewed from the opposite side. i Throughoutthe severalfigures of the drawings like characters of referencedenote lik'e parts and. the numeral Ill designates generally in Figfil a casing having side walls II and I2, front and rear walls l3 and I4 respectively, a top wall 15, and arbottom wall 15.. The several walls may be. assembled by attachment to common corner angle irons as indicated variously in the drawings'and attachment may be in any convenient manner as by welding, screws, bolts or otherwise.

Within the cabinet l0 means are provided for movably supporting a number of food receptacles, in the illustrated instance, dinnerplates or plat-- I ters iii, in acompact'and secure manner. While. the drawings illustrate circular dinner plates by way of example, th'use of rectangular platters or trays permits fuller utilization of the available space and-is fully contemplated. The movable supporting means for the plates, platters or trays include, referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 51,

an upper sprocket shaft I9 and a lower sprocket shaft 20 located at each side of the cabinet. All; four sprocket shafts extend lengthwise and are;. supported for rotation by bearings 2| which are;

235 cycle can be initiated. -To' -thi's'end"a rack-bar I is secured to theoutsideof the bearing blocks as best shown in Fig.5. A pawl "is rotatably mounted upon a pivot pin 12 which'is secured to the upper wall 15 of the cabinet and pawl 1| is urged in a clockwise direction as viewed in plan by an extension spring13. -It will be seen that the pawl H prevents retrograde movement .of the rack-bar l9 and consequently of. the paneli40 when the parts are in the intermediate position shown in Fig. 5. y 1

' However; when thawithdrawing movement is rendered complete by full withdrawal of handle 41 a notch 14 which is much wider than the individual spaces between the teeth of rack arrives at pawl H and the latter then is rotated in a clockwise direction by spring l3to such position that the rack 10 may move rearwardly with its teeth riding against the trailing side -.of. pawl H. A subsequent withdrawing operation causes thefirst forward tooth of rack 10; to engage against the pawl H and again swing it to'its detaining position as illustrated in Fig. 5.. i

.Successive dispensing operation may' thus be repeated until all of the plates-or plattersof the row which is at the level of the dispensing opening have been removed. It is desired that successive dispensing operations be effective to. dispense the entire contents of the cabinet and means are provided which operate automatically when all of the plates or platters of a particular row or tier are dispensed to'raise the next row or tier of platters to the dispensing level. Such means will'now be described.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the numeral 15 designates a longitudinal rail which rests upon the plates or platters l8 of the upper row or tier and the rail 15 is supported by brackets 16 mounted for free rotation on pivot pins (1. One of the brackets 16 includes an extension 18 which pivotally engages the upper end of a vertically extendingpush rod 80. The lower end of push rod 88 pivotally engages the outer end of a clutch operating arm 8! which is fixed to a rock shaft 82.

The drive means for rotating sprocket shafts l9 and 28 and sprockets 23 to elevate a row of plates or platters will not be described and reference is had first to Fig. 6 which shows in plan a driving motor 84 and a conventional speed reducing gear 85 connected thereto by a chain and sprocket drive 86. The driving motor 84 is energized whenever the device is available for use and may be controlled by an external manual switch (not shown) if desired. The speed reducing gear 85 has an output shaft 88 which has fixed thereto a ratchet wheel 88. A shaft which is arranged to be intermittentl driven by output shaft 88 is designated 99 and is supported in coaxial end-to-end relation with respect to output shaft 88 by means of bearings 9i and 92.

The shaft 90 has a disc 94 fixed thereto adjacent to ratchet 89 and a ratchet pawl 95 is fixed to a pawl rock shaft 96 which is rotatably carried by disc 94. At the opposite side of disc 94 the pawl rock shaft 96 has a release finger 91 fixed thereto and the release finger 9! is normally held in the position illustrated in Fig. 9 by a clutch pin 98 which is supported for axial movement in bearings Hill and llll provided in a housing element I82 which incidentally supports bearings 9| and 92 of shaft 98.

Clutch pin 98 has a transverse opening [04 formed therein and a release arm 15 fixed to rock shaft 82 has its outer end engaged in the opening I04 as shown in Fig. 8. A tension spring 6 J06 act's betweenpawl 95 and'disc'94 to urge the pawl and its rock shaft 96 in aclockwise direction as viewed .inFig.:9. It willbeseen from the foregoing that. loweringmovement of pu'shrod 88,:resultingtfromjemptyingof arow of receptacles at the dispensing level and consequent 10W- ering of rail .15, will withdraw clutch pin 98 through operation of release arm I05. and spring I06 will: move pawl 95 .into; engagement with ratchet 89 which is fixed to the outputshaft-Bfl of thereducing gear 85. I

This causes the. shafts 88-v andv .90 to rotate jointly and shaft 90 has fixed thereto a crank arm H9 whichispivoted to one, end of a linkHZ whose other end .pivotally engages .an. arm H3 rotatably. mounted ;ona shaft I I4 supported in bearings, H5 and H6, see Fig.6. :Arm H3 carries a driving pawl -l II which engages a ratchetwheel H8: fixed to shaft H4. -A locking pawl l I9, torprevent .retrograde movement :of ratchet wheel H8, is pivoted to the, side of a block I28 whichsupportsbearing H5 and an extension spring 12! engages between pawl H9 and block I28 to urge the locking pawlinto engagement with ratchetwheel H8.

.When crank armv H 8, makesone'complete revolution with shaft 98 .arm,| l3is .rocked through an arc of such length as to move pawl .I I1 and consequently ratchet; wheel H8 through onefourthaof .a'revolution, advancing the ratchet wheel one tooth- Shaft H4; also has fixed thereto a sprocket J22, seev Figs. 6 and .7. Referring further to Fig. 7, the lower sprocket shafts 20 extend forwardly, asmay beseen inlFig. 2, and are provided withdriving sprockets I23. An idler sprocket is designated [25 in Fig. '7 andis supported by a bearing 126 secured against the interior frame work of. the cabinet in any desired manner. l

A chain I28. xtends about the several sprockets .l22, I23 and I25 in the. manner shown in Fig. '7 whereby the. shafts 20 are driven syn-:- chronously' in opposite directions whereby to raise the inside facing channels 26 of chains 25 when drive sprocket I22 is rotated. The proportions are such that one rotation of crank arm I I8, translated into movement of one ratchet tooth of ratchet H8, raises the channels 26 one tier to present the next row of plates or platters at the dispensing level.

If as much as one plate or platter is present in the tier below the dispensing level when operation of the elevating mechanism is commenced by the withdrawal of clutch pin 98 due to the lowering of rail 15 and push rod 88, then such plate' or platter will raise the rail 15 and push rod 88 as the plate approaches the dispensing level and such movement projects the clutch pin 98 so that it cams the finger 91 into the position illustrated in Fig. 9, breaking the driving engagement between pawl 95 and ratchet wheel 89. If one or more pairs of channels beneath the dispensing level are devoid of plates or platters, as in Fig. 3 for instance, the push rod 88 will remain lowered, the clutch pin 98 will remain withdrawn, and driving operation of the sprockets 23 will be successively and automatically repeated by continued oscillation of the arm H3 which operates ratchet wheel I I8 until a pair of channels 26 containing one or more plates or platters reaches the dispensing level and raises rail 15 as aforesaid.

It will be noted that a window I3!) is illustrated in the forward portion of the top wall l5 of the cabinet, whereby a prospective patron may view Misses the contents of the receptacle which is the next to he dispensed. V

In the preferred form .illustratcdvherein the operation is such that all receptacles more up: wardly to the dispensing level. It will be wild??? stood that the principles of the present invention apply with equal facility; to an arrangemfint wherein movement of the receptacles is pro ress sively downward to a lower dispensing level.

What is claimed is: 1

1. Food dispensing apparatus comprising an enclosure, means for supporting a. plurality of horizontal rows of'fond receptacles in said 511: closure one above the other, a dispensing opening disposed at a given level, means for suocessirely moving the individual receptacles voi a given row through said opening; power means for mpvinga vertically adjacent row of receptacles to the dispensing level, and control means engageable with receptacles'at the dispensing level and move able when the last receptacle of a rowis dis= pensed to actuate said power means until the control means is reengaged by receptacles at the dispensing level. r

2. Food dispensing apparatus comprising an enclosure, elevator means for supporting aj'plur ality of horizontal rows of food'ree'epta'clcs in said enclosure one above the other, a dispensing open.- ing disposed at an upper level in said enclosure and means for'successively moving the individual receptacles of a given row 'through said opening, power means for moving the elevator means-to raise the several rows of receptacles and present another row of receptacles at thedispensing level, and control means engageable with receptacles at the dispensing level and movable when the last receptacle of a row is dispensed to actuate said power means until the control means is reen gaged by receptacles at the dispensing level.

3. Food dispensing apparatus comprising an enclosure, means for supporting a plurality of horizontal rows of food receptacles in said en closure one above the other, a dispensing opening disposed level with he upper rowof receptacles, means for success ve y moving t e ndividuai'rciceptasles of a siren. ot/throu h said openin powermeans for moving the next subi ccnt row of receptacles to the dispensinglevel, and control m ans ensaccanl with rec ptacles at the discsing level and movable when the last recep acl of the row at the dispensing: level is dispensed to activate the power means until the control means is reengased by receptacles at the dispensing level- 4. Food dispensing apparatus comprising an enclosure, means for supporting a plurality of horizontal rows of food receptacles in said enclo: sure one above the other, aldispensing opening disposed at a given level and means for'suceccssircly moving the individual receptacles of a given row through said opening, said means com: prising members enga ing said row of receptacles and movable to advance the entire row toward the dispensing opening whereby the forward re, ccptacle is dispensed and the others are advanced toward the opening, power means for moving a vertically adjacent row of receptacles to the dis,- pensing level, and control means engageabie with receptacles at the dispensing level and movable when the last receptacle of said row is dispensed to activate said power means until the control means is reengaged by receptacles at the dis:- penslng level.

WILLIAM W..EEASE.

REFE QENQE SITE!) The following references are of record in t t e fil this Pate t;

UNEEP STATES. PAFEZ TS 

